Leading disability charity Papworth Trust has called on new Prime Minister Theresa May to prioritise housing and work needs for disabled and older people.
On the day Mrs May replaces David Cameron at Number 10, the charity has urged the new PM to continue with the Government’s public ambition of halving the disability employment gap.
Addressing the social care crisis by ensuring a “smooth running” of reform is another urgent priority, according to Vicky McDermott, Chief Executive of Papworth Trust.
Welcoming Mrs May to her new role as prime minister, Vicky said: “Over the course of her premiership, we will work with her Government to make sure that unmet housing needs are met for disabled and older people – so that we do not solve one housing crisis by creating another.
“We will also help the new Government to fulfil its target to get over one million disabled people into work by 2020, as part of its aspiration to half the disability employment gap. We continue to believe that this is the right ambition for disabled people and it is important that the new Prime Minister is committed to this.
“Finally, we will work with the new Cabinet to ensure that the social care crisis is properly addressed by Government.
“Theresa May was clear in her leadership campaign that the reality of people across our country is often not reflected in the rhetoric from MPs in Westminster. We aim to play an active role in helping Ministers to understand what needs to be done to address the growing crisis in adult social care and provide solutions to help ensure the Government can create a system that is fit for purpose.
“As the new Prime Minister begins her premiership against a backdrop of international and market uncertainty, making sure the smooth running of social policy reform continues will be crucial for disabled and older people.”
